On White Ribbon Day in 2009, Police Officer Robyn Waite Organized a Community meeting to highlight to the Public what affects Family Violence has on Women and Children. I live in the Area where The Officer was working.
On December 8 2009, I went to a local 7/11 store at about 5.15PM to fill my car with Petrol. Out of the 7/11 store came a man and a woman and a young Child. The Man started waving his arms around and yelling at the woman and the Young Child, as I approached the store the man grabbed the woman by the Blouse in a very aggressive way and the woman began to cry, all this happened with the young child by their side. I Entered the Store and told the Attendant he should call the Police as this situation was becoming very serious, the Police were called and given the Registration Number of the Vehicle the People left in. A woman who entered the Store said she knew the people involved and could give us the Address of Where the People Lived.
I then Left The Store to attend a gym class after which I went to the Local Police Station to tell them I had witnessed the family Violence incident outside the 7/11 Store, I gave the Police my name and Phone Number to contact me so I Could give them information on the Assault.
Later that day I got a call from a Policewoman saying that a van from a neighboring Police Station had attended the Store. I Then Rang that Police Station and told them I had witnessed The Incident and gave them my name and Phone Number. The next day I went to the police station where the police car was dispatched from and spoke to a police woman at the Counter. She seemed very disinterested; I said to her that in these cases Police have the Power to apply for an Intervention order on behalf of the woman who was being threatened. The Police woman said she was unaware of this Police Power and said it was up to the Woman to apply for an Intervention Order from the Court.
The Police woman then said there were strict Guidelines that the Police had to follow to gain an Intervention Order; an Order wouldn't apply if the couple wasn't actually in a relationship, the Police Woman's attitude was one of Negativity and Disinterest. Later that day I rang the Police Station again and this time spoke to a Police Officer who had actually attended the incident at the 7/11 store. I gave Him My name and Phone Number and told him I had witnessed the family Violence Incident out the Front of the 7/11 store. He thanked me and I have heard nothing from the Police since that Time.
If the Police Don't take action what is the point of The Victorian Attorney General Rob Hulls telling People to report acts of family Violence and call the Police, Recently there was a report about a woman who had an offender trying to break into her house, She rang The Emergency Number 000 4 times and the Police eventually arrived 5 Hours Later!!!!!. Magistrate's in Victorian Courts tell applicants for Intervention Orders to call the Police if there is a breech of an Order, realistically it won't be much help if Police can't get there in less than 5 Hours. I went to a family Violence Meeting and a woman said she no longer rings 000 because it was a waste of time.
Organizing White Ribbon days and telling People to contact Police is all hot Air if it is not followed up with effective action. Recent Statistics show that 40 percent of Homicides in Victoria are family violence related, and of the 65 Australians killed by partners or former partners, 43 percent followed a history of domestic Violence that was known by Police. If Police are incapable of stopping 43 Percent of Family Violence related Homicides committed by people who they know have a history of violence, then what do they hope further reporting will Achieve when these family Violence situations are not effectively dealt with???.
These statistics reveal the ineffectiveness of Police Action and Realistically Intervention Orders are not really a deterrent in family Violence situations, even when the offender's violent history is known to Police. This could ultimately lead to a Homicide, if the Victim of Family Violence doesn't have some form of Backup Plan to protect them self. From a practical point of view Victoria has in effect a witless Protection System when it comes to protecting people in Family Violence Cases. In Victoria, Intervention Orders that were designed to protect people from Family violence can also be used in "Civil Disputes" Which has led to the Overuse of Intervention orders in Non Violent Situations.
On December 8 2009, I went to a local 7/11 store at about 5.15PM to fill my car with Petrol. Out of the 7/11 store came a man and a woman and a young Child. The Man started waving his arms around and yelling at the woman and the Young Child, as I approached the store the man grabbed the woman by the Blouse in a very aggressive way and the woman began to cry, all this happened with the young child by their side. I Entered the Store and told the Attendant he should call the Police as this situation was becoming very serious, the Police were called and given the Registration Number of the Vehicle the People left in. A woman who entered the Store said she knew the people involved and could give us the Address of Where the People Lived.
I then Left The Store to attend a gym class after which I went to the Local Police Station to tell them I had witnessed the family Violence incident outside the 7/11 Store, I gave the Police my name and Phone Number to contact me so I Could give them information on the Assault.
Later that day I got a call from a Policewoman saying that a van from a neighboring Police Station had attended the Store. I Then Rang that Police Station and told them I had witnessed The Incident and gave them my name and Phone Number. The next day I went to the police station where the police car was dispatched from and spoke to a police woman at the Counter. She seemed very disinterested; I said to her that in these cases Police have the Power to apply for an Intervention order on behalf of the woman who was being threatened. The Police woman said she was unaware of this Police Power and said it was up to the Woman to apply for an Intervention Order from the Court.
The Police woman then said there were strict Guidelines that the Police had to follow to gain an Intervention Order; an Order wouldn't apply if the couple wasn't actually in a relationship, the Police Woman's attitude was one of Negativity and Disinterest. Later that day I rang the Police Station again and this time spoke to a Police Officer who had actually attended the incident at the 7/11 store. I gave Him My name and Phone Number and told him I had witnessed the family Violence Incident out the Front of the 7/11 store. He thanked me and I have heard nothing from the Police since that Time.
If the Police Don't take action what is the point of The Victorian Attorney General Rob Hulls telling People to report acts of family Violence and call the Police, Recently there was a report about a woman who had an offender trying to break into her house, She rang The Emergency Number 000 4 times and the Police eventually arrived 5 Hours Later!!!!!. Magistrate's in Victorian Courts tell applicants for Intervention Orders to call the Police if there is a breech of an Order, realistically it won't be much help if Police can't get there in less than 5 Hours. I went to a family Violence Meeting and a woman said she no longer rings 000 because it was a waste of time.
Organizing White Ribbon days and telling People to contact Police is all hot Air if it is not followed up with effective action. Recent Statistics show that 40 percent of Homicides in Victoria are family violence related, and of the 65 Australians killed by partners or former partners, 43 percent followed a history of domestic Violence that was known by Police. If Police are incapable of stopping 43 Percent of Family Violence related Homicides committed by people who they know have a history of violence, then what do they hope further reporting will Achieve when these family Violence situations are not effectively dealt with???.
These statistics reveal the ineffectiveness of Police Action and Realistically Intervention Orders are not really a deterrent in family Violence situations, even when the offender's violent history is known to Police. This could ultimately lead to a Homicide, if the Victim of Family Violence doesn't have some form of Backup Plan to protect them self. From a practical point of view Victoria has in effect a witless Protection System when it comes to protecting people in Family Violence Cases. In Victoria, Intervention Orders that were designed to protect people from Family violence can also be used in "Civil Disputes" Which has led to the Overuse of Intervention orders in Non Violent Situations.
A Magistrate's Court in Victoria issued an Intervention Order because an applicant complained that the Cat Bowls (Pictured Left) that she uses to feed the Stray and Feral Cats behind a row of shops were being taken. The defendant went to Court with a barrister to defend the Matter, because the Intervention order would stop him attending a leisure centre at the end of the Applicant's street, A centre the defendant had been a regular member of for 11Years.
The applicant was a family friend of the defendant's ex-in-laws; she told the Court that the Local Council paid her to feed the Stray Cats, her complaint was about the disappearance of her cat bowls. The court issued an Intervention order of 3 Metres which that would last for 12 months.
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